The editor of The Observer has withdrawn from publication an article attacking
transsexuals written by columnist Julie Burchill after the newspaper was
bombarded with complaints.

Miss Burchill described members of the transgender community as “a bunch of bed-wetters in bad wigs” and “d**** in chicks’ clothing” in a column in the newspaper on Sunday.

Observer editor John Mulholland admitted the article had caused “hurt and offence” and apologised for publishing the piece.

Burchill launched the attack in defence of her friend and fellow writer Suzanne Moore who last week was severely criticised by transsexuals after an apparently innocuous remark a New Statesman article entitled ‘Seeing Red: the power of female anger’.

In the piece, Miss Moore said women were expected to look like “Brazilian transsexuals”, apparently referring to the ideal female body shape.

The comment caused anger amongst what Burchill described as “the very vociferous transsexual lobby and their grim groupies” and Miss Moore subsequently left Micro-blogging site Twitter, attributing her exit to the level of abuse she had received.

However, he admitted the Observer had "got it wrong" when deciding to publish the piece.

“We have decided to withdraw from publication the Julie Burchill comment piece 'Transsexuals should cut it out'," he said.

“The piece was an attempt to explore contentious issues within what had become a highly-charged debate. The Observer is a paper which prides itself on ventilating difficult debates and airing challenging views.

“On this occasion we got it wrong and in light of the hurt and offence caused I apologise and have made the decision to withdraw the piece. “

Miss Burchill said the reaction of the transsexual lobby to Miss Moore's piece reminded her “of those wretched inner-city kids who shoot another inner-city kid dead in a fast-food shop for not showing them enough ‘respect’.”

Liberal Democrat minister Lynne Featherstone, former Equalities Minister, yesterday called for Miss Burchill and Mr Mulholland to be sacked for what she described as the “disgusting rant” published in the Observer.